State News Briefs

ATLANTA - The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sided with a nude dance club in its lawsuit against the city of Warner Robins, calling the city's adult business ordinance unconstitutional.

Warner Robins passed the ordinance in 1997 requiring licenses for adult businesses. The ordinance requires the city council to approve or deny an application within 45 days.

Teasers, a club owned by Stephen Dewberry, argued the ordinance puts a prior restraint on expression because it does not provide an adequate time limit in applications made to the city.

The court agreed, ruling the ordinance does not include a provision giving the applicant the right to begin operating if the city fails to act in the allotted time, a violation of the First Amendment.

- Associated Press

House committee holds water meeting in Albany

ALBANY - State Rep. Bob Hanner brought nine members of his House Natural Resources and Environment Committee to Albany for two days of talks on the state's water problems.

Hanner, D-Parrott, asked the 32 committee members, many of whom live in urban areas, to come to south Georgia to see the water shortage from the perspective of farmers who must irrigate during the ongoing drought. Hanner's committee looks at all water-related legislation introduced in the House.

''I came here to learn anything they'll teach me,'' said Rep. Anne Mueller, R-Savannah. But, she said, even though she's ''all for farmers ... they've got to learn to conserve water like the rest of us.''

The committee spent Wednesday learning about irrigation technology and other water issues. On Thursday, the legislators planned to meet with some farmers.

- Associated Press

Georgia cracks down on Tenn. car registration

ROSSVILLE - Authorities are cracking down on north Georgia residents who register their cars in Tennessee, where annual tag fees are lower.

Rossville Police Chief Charles Dunn said he went to eight apartment complexes in July and put 67 letters on cars with Tennessee tags, advising their owners that Georgia law requires anyone living in the state more than 30 days to have Georgia license plates and insurance on their vehicles.

Now that they have had 30 days to get proper registration, he said he plans to cite them in court.

''This has been a problem in Rossville for 30 years,'' said the chief, whose town is less than 10 miles from Chattanooga, Tenn. ''We're going to start having roadblocks and writing tickets.''

Officials in Dade, Walker and Catoosa counties having been discussing the problem and trying to come up with a solution, said Walker County Tax Commissioner Melba Powell.

Cars with Tennessee tags are the No. 1 problem in Walker County, said Sheriff Steve Wilson.

Car owners in Tennessee pay a one-time ad valorem tax when they register their vehicle and a $24 annual fee after that. In Georgia, car owners must pay ad valorem taxes every year on top of a $20 annual fee.